Star type ornamental structure

ABSTRACT

An ornamental structure preferably in the shape of a star which consists of a plurality of triangularly-shaped apices formed of platic material, such as plexiglas, which glows under the influence of light. The triangular plastic apices are connected together by removable bolts extending through mating flanges on opposed canisters. One or both of the canisters may have an opening to receive an electrical light bulb having a contact on its inner end which engages a contact on the holder when the light bulb is threaded in place and electrical conductors lead from the contact on the holder to a source of electrical energy. A spring holder is provided to receive shrubbery or a branch of a tree to hold the structure in an upright position. An aperture is also provided in one of the apices to suspend the structure from a support, such as a window sill. The holder for the bulbs is provided with spring clips which may be inserted through an opening in one of the canisters when compressed and engages the edges of the opening to hold the light bulb in place when the pressure is released. Dividers may also be provided to form a plurality of compartments, each of which receives a light bulb and in addition a series of pairs of triangularly-shaped plastic apices may be held in place by oppositely disposed canisters between which a divider is inserted to provide a pair of compartments, each of which has a light bulb therein and each of which is preferably of a color different from the other.

United States Patent 1191 Semonovich Aug. 6, 1974 1 1 STAR TYPE ORNAMENTAL STRUCTURE [76] Inventor: Joseph Semonovich, 5551 Grasmere Ave., Maple Heights, Ohio 44137 [22] Filed: Apr. 27, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 355,263

Primary Examiner.loseph F. Peters, .lr.

[ 5 7 ABSTRACT An ornamental structure preferably in the shape of a star which consists of a plurality of triangularly-shaped apices formed of platic material, such as plexiglas, which glows under the influence of light. The .triangular plastic apices are connected together by removable bolts extending through mating flanges on opposed canisters. One or both of the canisters may have an opening to receive an electrical light bulb having a contact on its inner end which engages a contact on the holder when the light bulb is threaded in place and electrical conductors lead from the contact on the holder to a source of electrical energy. A spring holder is provided to receive shrubbery or a branch of a tree to hold the structure in an upright position. An aperture is also provided in one of the apices to suspend the structure from a support, such as a window sill. The holder for the bulbs is provided with spring clips which may be inserted through an opening in one of the canisters when compressed and engages the edges of the opening to hold the light bulb in place when the pressure is released. Dividers may also be provided to form a plurality of compartments, each of which receives a light bulb and in addition a series of pairs of triangularly-shaped plastic apices may be held in place by oppositely disposed canisters between which a divider is inserted to provide a pair of compartments, each of which has a light bulb therein and each of which is preferably of a color different from the other.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED RUB 51974 SHEET 1 BF 2 1 STAR TYPE ORNAMENTAL STRUCTURE i The present invention relates to ornaments of the star type for any desired purpose, such as for advertising. More particularly, it relates to ornaments of the star type for application to shurubbery or to evergreen or Christmas trees during the Holiday Season which trees may be of the ordinary cut type for use in homes or for trees growing around a portion of a house and particularly on the yard bordering the front portion of a home.

At the present time, there is considerable demand, especially during the Holiday Season, for ornaments that may be applied to the top portion of a Christmas tree of either the cut or live type. In accordance with my invention, an ornament for trees and particularly Christmas trees may be provided which have a plurality of triangular shaped apices that may be varied from approximately three to six and a housing into which one or more light bulbs may be installed. When more than one light bulb is provided, they may be of the same color or of a color different from each other.

My improved ornament includes as a principal component a resin or plastic, the edges of which glow under the influence of light and which is preferably water insoluble so that it may be applied to shrubbery and evergreen trees bordering a home. For instance, I may use polyethylene, polymerized vinyl acetate or the copolymers of vinyl acetate and vinyl chloride. Preferably, I utilize an acrylic resin, such as methyl methylacrylate which is manufactured and sold under the trade name of plexiglass. Plexaglass may be worked, sawed, drilled, and machined like wood or any soft metal and when heated it may be formed into any desired shape. It is insoluble in water and consequently may be attached to shrubbery or evergreen trees bordering the vicinity of a home or may be applied to trees which have been cut for installation in a room of a home.

My invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. I is an inner plan view of one form of my improved ornament;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of FIG. 1 taken on a plane passing through the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 2a is a spring holder secured to the upper portion of the inner canister of the housing for attaching the ornament to shrubbery or to a tree so that the upper portions of the edges la and 1d will be horizontal;

FIG. 3 is a modification of my improved ornament showing means for dividing the container into a plurality of compartments, each of which has a lamp bulb therein;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on a plane passing through the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of another modification of my improved ornament; and

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the ornament shown in FIG. 5 taken on a plane passing through the line 6-6 of FIG. 5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

It will of course be understood that the ornaments shown in the drawings are merely illustrative of the embodiments comprising my invention and that modifications may be made therein as described in the present specification and embodied in the appended claims. For instance, it will be apparent that the number of triangular apices and the number of lights in my improved ornament may be varied. For instance, the number of triangular apices may range from three to six and from one to six light bulbs may be provided. When more than one light bulb is incorporated in an ornament, however, each may be of the same color but each is preferably of a color different than any of each of the other bulbs.

As illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawing, the plastic or resinous portions of the ornament is shown as having five triangular apices 1, la, 1b, 1c, and 1d, and a housing for the light bulb may be provided which may be of any suitable shape. For instance, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it may consists of two half canisters 2 and 2a, one of which is closed at its outer end and each having outwardly extending flanges 3 and 3a which may be connected together and to the bottom portion of the angular apices of the resinous material by suitable fastening mrans, such as small bolts which are preferably removable.

As shown in the drawings, the edges of the triangularly shaped apices are preferably bevelled to enhance the light glow on the edges of the triangles and if desired, the housing may be provided with small openings therein through which light from the bulb may shine. An advertisement or a greeting, such as Merry Christmas may be printed on the face of the outer canister of the housing.

A spring holder may be provided which may be fastened to the inner portion of the container as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings and as illustrated more particularly in FIG. 2a. As shown, the holder is provided with inner outwardly buoyed portions 4a which merge into inwardly buoyed portions 4b to receive portions of shrubbery or the branch of a tree which hold the star with the upper edges of the triangles 1a and 1d in horizontal alignment and the star in an upright position.

As shown in FIG. 1, one of the half cylinders or canisters, preferly the inner one, is provided with an opening 5 through which a lamp bulb 6 and a holder 7 therefor may be inserted. The light bulb has an electrical contact on its outer portion in the usual manner and is threaded into the holder 7 which is also provided on its interior portion with an electrical contact which is engaged by the electrical contact on the light bulb when the light bulb is screwed into the holder and the holder 7 in turn is held in place by spring clips 8 and 8a which may be pressed inwardly to permit the electrical bulb and the inner portion of the holder to be inserted into the housing and each of the spring clips has its inner end portion secured to the holder and is provided with a central recess into which the edge of the canister extends to maintain the holder in place. To energize the lamp bulb, electrical conductors 9 which may be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy extend through the holder 7 and engages the contact on the inner portions thereof. If desired each of the ornaments shown in the drawings may be hung on a curtain, window sill, or the like, and for this purpose, one or more of the trangular apices may be provided with an aperture 10 through which a cord or small wire may be inserted to tie the ornament to the supporting object.

To provide an ornament that has a brilliant display, the canister may be divided into a plurality of compartments and a light bulb may be mounted in each compartment. In such case, the bulbs may be of the same color or the color of each of the bulbs may be different from each of the other bulbs and consequently the glow on the edges of each of the triangular apices of the ornament may provide a colored glow different from that of each of the other triangular apices. This form of my invention is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 in which the housing is composed of a pair of pentagonal-shaped canisters l1 and 11a having flanges 12 and 12a for engaging the base portions of the triangular apices. Fastening means, preferably removable bolts, may be provided to hold the assumbly together.

To provide a series of compartments in the housing between the mating rhomboidal sections, a divider 13 is provided, the apices of each of which extends in a direction opposite to each of the apices of the star. As illustrated in FIG. 4, each of the bulbs 6 is threaded into a holder 7 and has a contact on its inner surface which engages a contact on the inner portion of the holder 7 and electrical conductors 9 which may be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy also passes through the holder 7 and engages the contact on the inner face thereof.

For maintaining the bulbs in place within the respective compartments, the springs 8 and 8a which are connected to each of the holders have recessed middle portions which are secured to the edges of the inner pentagonal canister of the housing. It will also be seen that the apices have tapered edges to enhance the glow at the edges of the triangular apices of the plastic material which as shown is bevelled although they will glow irrespective of whether they are bevelled.

Another form of my invention is shown in FIGS. and 6 in which a pair of star shaped apices hving bevelled outer edges are provided, the triangular apices of one of which is larger than the other. In this case, the canisters are rhomboidal in shape and are connected together by suitable fastening means, such as bolts, which are preferably removable. In this particular case, the bulbs are preferably of different colors, to form a different colored glow at the apices of each plastic star.

As shown in FIG. 4, the apertures extend through theapices of both stars although if desired, the aperture may extend through only the aperture of one of the larger apices of the larger star.

In FIGS. 5 and 6, two bulbs are shown which are separated by the divider 14. Preferably the bulbs are of a color different from each other. It will of course be understood that the holder shown in FIG. 1 and more specifically in FIG. 2a, may also be applied to the structures disclosed in FIGS. 3 and 4 and FIGS. 5 and 6.

What is claimed:

1. An ornamental structure consisting of a plurality of triangularly-shaped plastic tips that glow under the influence of light and which lie in the same plane, inner and outer substantially similar canisters, each having a body portion and an open end portion arranged in opposed relation to the open end portion of the other canister and each canister having a flange extending normal to its open end portion which is parallel to the flange on the other canister and the base portion of each of the plastic tips being arranged between a pair of said flanges, means extending through the flanges of the inner and outer canisters and the base of each of the plastic tips to provide a housing when said canisters are connected together, one of said canisters having an opening in its end portion through which a light bulb and a holder into which the light bulb is threaded may be inserted and said holder having oppositely disposed side portions, a pair of spring clips, each having inner, intermediate, and outer end portions, the inner end portion of one of said clips being secured to one side portion of said holder and the inner end portion of the other clip being secured to the opposite side portion of said holder, an intermediate portion of each'of said clips having a recess therein for receiving an edge portion of the canister surrounding said opening, and the outer free end portion of each of said clips being extended through said opening, and said holder with the light bulb threaded therein being extended through the opening in said canister when the free ends of said clips are pressed toward each other and moved inwardly into the canister through said opening and the intermediate portions of said clips being spaced from each holder and in engagement with the edge of the canister surrounding said opening when the pressure on the free ends of the clips is released.

2. An ornamental structure as defined in claim 1 in which the body portion of each of the canisters is circular in shape and the flanges extending outwardly normal to the free end portions of said canisters are also circular in shape.

3. An ornamental structure as defined in claim 1 in which the body of each of the canisters is pentagonal in shape with each of the sides being of equal width throughout its length and the open end portion of each canister having a flange extending normal to each of the sides.

4. An ornamental structure as defined in claim 1 in which five triangularly-shaped plastic tips in the form of a star are provided, the base portion of each of which are held together between the flanges extending normally outwardly from the inner and outer canisters and in which a support in the form of a spring is connected to the end portion of the inner canister which extends normal to the apex of one of said triangularly shaped tips which spring has outwardly buoyed inner portions and spring fingers extending outwardly therefrom which enable the ornamental structure to be held in an upright symmetrical position when attached to a tree or shrubbery.

5. An ornamental structure as defined in claim 1 in which the structure includes five plastic tips which are held in place between the opposed flanges on the free end portions of the inner and outer canisters and a divider. is arranged within the housing formed by the canisters having five arms which merge together at the central portion of said housing with adjacent pairs of arms being arranged in opposed relation to the base portion of each of the plastic tips to form a plurality of compartments, an electrical light bulb arranged in each compartment which when energized causes the light from each bulb to pass through the edge of the base portion of each of the respective tips to form a light glow around the outer edges of each of the plastic tips.

6. Apparatus as specified in claim 5 in which each electrical bulb is of a color different from each of the other electrical bulbs.

7. An ornamental structure as defined in claim 1 in which five triangularly shaped plastic tips which are comparatively large in size are arranged in the same plane in the form of a star and said structure also including five additional plastic tips, each of which is smaller than each of the larger tips and each of which i a is arranged in close parallel relation to one of the larger tips and each of the five smaller tips being also in the form of a star with the apex of each of the smaller tips being spaced inwardly relative to the apex of one of the larger plastic tips, a divider extending between the outwardly extending flanges of said canisters with its outer edges extending between the base of the larger triangular bases of the larger tips and the bases of each of the smaller triangularly shaped elastic tips and each of the flanges of the canister, the divider, and the base of each of said tips having apertures therein, means passing through said apertures for holding the plastic tips, the divider, and the canisters together, an electrical bulb arranged in the housing on each side of said divider, the light from one of which bulbs when energized passing through the edges of the base portion of each of the larger plastic tips to form a light glow around the larger plastic tips and the light from the other bulb when energized passing light through the edges of each of the bases of the smaller plastic tips to form a light glow around the edges of each of the smaller plastic tips.

8. An ornamental structure as defined in claim 7 in which each of the electrical light bulbs when energized produces a light of a color different than the other bulb so that the light from the bulb which passes through the edges of the bases of the larger elastic tips and the light from the other colored bulb which passes through the edges of the bases of the smaller elastic tips causes a glow of light of a different color to pass around the smaller plastic tips. 

1. An ornamental structure consisting of a plurality of triangularly-shaped plastic tips that glow under the influence of light and which lie in the same plane, inner and outer substantially similar canisters, each having a body portion and an open end portion arranged in opposed relation to the open end portion of the other canister and each canister having a flange extending normal to its open end portion which is parallel to the flange on the other canister and the base portion of each of the plastic tips being arranged between a pair of said flanges, means extending through the flanges of the inner and outer canisters and the base of each of the plastic tips to provide a housing when said canisters are connected together, one of said canisters having an opening in its end portion through which a light bulb and a holder into which the light bulb is threaded may be inserted and said holder having oppositely disposed side portions, a pair of spring clips, each having inner, intermediate, and outer end portions, the inner end portion of one of said clips being secured to one side portion of said holder and the inner end portion of the other clip being secured to the opposite side portion of said holder, an intermediate portion of each of said clips having a recess therein for receiving an edge portion of the canister surrounding said opening, and the outer free end portion of each of said clips being extended through said opening, and said holder with the light bulb threaded therein being extended through the opening in said canister when the free ends of said clips are pressed toward each other and moved inwardly into the canister through said opening and the intermediate portions of said clips being spaced from each holder and in engagement with the edge of the canister surrounding said opening when the pressure on the free ends of the clips is released.
 2. An ornamental structure as defined in claim 1 in which the body portion of each of the canisters is circular in shape and the flanges extending outwardly normal to the free end portions of said canisters are also circular in shape.
 3. An ornamental structure as defined in claim 1 in which the body of each of the canisters is pentagonal in shape with each of the sides being of equal width throughout its length and the open end portion of each canister having a flange extending normal to each of the sides.
 4. An ornamental structure as defined in claim 1 in which five triangularly-shaped plastic tips in the form of a star are provided, the base portion of each of which are held together between the flanges extending normally outwardly from the inner and outer canisters and in which a support in the form of a spring is connected to the end portion of the inner canister which extends normal to the apex of one of said triangularly shaped tips which spring has outwardly buoyed inner portions and spring fingers extending outwardly therefrom which enable the ornamental structure to be held in an upright symmetrical position when attached to a tree or shrubbery.
 5. An ornamental structure as defined in claim 1 in which the structure includes five plastic tips which are held in place between the opposed flanges on the free end portions of the inner and outer canisters and a divider is arranged within the housing formed by the canisters having five arms which merge together at the central portion of said housing with adjacent pairs of arms being arranged in opposed relation to the base portion of each of the plastic tips to form a plurality of compartments, an electrical light bulb arranged in each compartment which when energized causes the light from each bulb to pass through the edge of the base portion of each of the respective tips to form a light glow around the outer edges of each of the plastic tips.
 6. Apparatus as specified in claim 5 in which each electrical bulb is of a color different from each of the other electrical bulbs.
 7. An ornamental structure as defined in claim 1 in which five triangularly shaped plastic tips which are comparatively large in size are arranged in the same plane in the form of a star and said structure also including five additional plastic tips, each of which is smaller than each of the larger tips and each of which is arranged in close parallel relation to one of the larger tips and each of the five smaller tipS being also in the form of a star with the apex of each of the smaller tips being spaced inwardly relative to the apex of one of the larger plastic tips, a divider extending between the outwardly extending flanges of said canisters with its outer edges extending between the base of the larger triangular bases of the larger tips and the bases of each of the smaller triangularly shaped elastic tips and each of the flanges of the canister, the divider, and the base of each of said tips having apertures therein, means passing through said apertures for holding the plastic tips, the divider, and the canisters together, an electrical bulb arranged in the housing on each side of said divider, the light from one of which bulbs when energized passing through the edges of the base portion of each of the larger plastic tips to form a light glow around the larger plastic tips and the light from the other bulb when energized passing light through the edges of each of the bases of the smaller plastic tips to form a light glow around the edges of each of the smaller plastic tips.
 8. An ornamental structure as defined in claim 7 in which each of the electrical light bulbs when energized produces a light of a color different than the other bulb so that the light from the bulb which passes through the edges of the bases of the larger elastic tips and the light from the other colored bulb which passes through the edges of the bases of the smaller elastic tips causes a glow of light of a different color to pass around the smaller plastic tips. 